The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man, Merlyn Theatre at Malthouse Theatre, Wednesday August 23rd 2017

The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man, Merlyn Theatre at Malthouse Theatre, Wednesday August 23rd 2017

"The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man" played at the Merlyn Theatre as part of the 2017 Malthouse Theatre Season on Wednesday August 23rd 2017

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.  I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.

"The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man" written by Tom Wright and directed by Matthew Lutton is a tour de force.  I preferred this play to the original play "The Elephant Man" that played at the MTC's Russell Street Theatre in 1980.

The main reasons why we enjoyed this new version were due to the emotional truth that was brought to the performances.  The actors in conjunction with the artistic and production crew have delivered a sensational product that resonated and drew forth my emotional responses.   I had tears flowing on at least two occasions due to the empathy that was built up with the truthful characters and relationships.  "The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man" is a true masterpiece of theatre.

Do not get me wrong as I loved the 1980 version of the play, and also the film version of that play. They were historic and luxuriously staged pieces of theatre that were well acted and showcased the freak show, while this new version got to the core of Joseph Merrick as a person.  We got to see inside his struggles and his pain and his impact in a more realistic fashion.

The house lights were still alight as a character slowly crept across the footlights to centre stage in front of the black curtain.  We thought it was a man from the profile and were surprised to see that it was a woman.  What a wonderful introduction to the world of side-show or freak show or carnival.  It was Paula Arundell who opened with a monologue reminiscent of the master of ceremonies for a circus.  Paula Arundell set the scene with her cautious and searching eyes, and her voice that built suspense.

Her exit was feline and coaxing as she lifted the central curtains to create a circus-tent-entrance to the show.  The house lights dimmed to black out and we entered the Victorian smog.  This was a magical opening.

Through a scrim, fog filled the stage with Victorian streetlights to create a realistic streets-cape.  

We were introduced quickly to Joseph Merrick as a youngster with his mother played by the ever reliable Julie Forsyth.

I had tears rolling down my face on two occasions.  I also had tears well up in my eyes on at least two other occasions due to the powerful acting by Daniel Monks.  He created a character full of depth that developed relationships with various characters in the production to enrich our understanding of his struggles.

When Joseph Merrick was sent on his way to fend for himself was a moment of despair as my heart pumped in my chest for his eviction.  He found a place to sit underneath a streetlamp with a blanket showed how cruel life can be.

The mental assessment scene where Joseph Merrick was made to do the word association "parlour game" was a climax showcasing his observation and intelligent.  I had tears rolling down my face at the recognition of how he was so misunderstood and berated for how he looked.  My tears were mixed with tears of joy at how clever and astute and street smart he was in keeping quiet to survive. Joseph Merrick's tirade was poignant to reveal a clever soul trapped in his body.

Agnes, the nurse was also played by Julie Forsyth.  The talking revelation scene was funny and Julie Forsyth played with requisite emotions ranging from surprise to embarrassment to dumb-founded.  The timing between both Julie Forsyth and Daniel Monks was sublime to build a depth to their relationship and create humanity.   This scene had much needed comic relief to allow the audience to take stock of the situation and also to reflect upon our own behaviour.

The medical lecture scene was cruel as it highlighted the display of parading a specimen of a man.  Joseph Merrick was prodded with long sticks as if cattle up for auction in the stock-sale yards.  

The costumes by Marg Horwell were too crisp at times and did not give the appearance the clothes had been lived in.  Set Design was also by Marg Horwell and was brilliant as it evoked Victorian London and the class divide.  This was achieved simply by the opening of the three spaces to create light wells that duplicated as colonnades and as coffin or grave sites.

Lighting Design by Paul Jackson fused together Marg Horwell's designs to create various atmospheres.  The side lighting was reminiscent of torches seeking out buildings, objects or people in the landscape.  The side lighting also reminded me of a lantern seeking safe footing for your next step.

Composition and Sound Design by Jethro Woodward created a soundscape to support rather than overpower the production.  Jethro Woodward created an undercurrent of sounds to build tension and atmosphere.  Some of compositions appeared as a cultural divide of the haves and those who have-not.  Some of the composition reminded me of chatter, gossip and whispering as if we could hear what was being said about Joseph Merrick but we could not quite understand the exact words.

The supporting female cast played many roles but needed to differentiate each character physically and vocally to decrease our confusion.  With clearer distinction between each of the female characters I would rate this production higher.

I would love to see Tom Wright's version of "The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man" tour internationally with the sublime talent of Daniel Monks.

Overall, "The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man" obtained an 8.5/10 from me while my partner gave it a 9/10.